Sassy Reviews

August 17, 2023August 17, 2023

Dream Up Now

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸: Dream Up Now 📚
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Rayne Lacko ✍️
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🚀 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
“Dream Up Now: The Teen Journal for Creative Self-Discovery” by Rayne Lacko is a great read. This journal is for teenagers and it helps them to explore emotions, create art and envision life’s possibilities. This guided journal consists of various activities. The author is telling readers that every emotion is valid so they should explore their emotions freely.

By reading this journal, teens would be inspired to take help when needed. This book takes them on the path to improve their grades, self-image and friendships. Readers need to be honest with themselves while reading this journal so they can heal better.

For instance: the emotion “I Feel..Tired” helps readers to have a night routine that could help them to relax and have a good night sleep. The thought provoking questions at the end of each emotion chapter are helpful. This is an amazing journal that helps us to be more aware of our emotions.

Through this journal, the author is guiding readers to move from dark to light. What are you waiting for teens? Get your hands on this journal and create the life you want to live. I am really inspired after reading this journal. Great work by the author in this one. Looking forward to reading more books by Rayne.

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5/5

★ Book Is Available On Amazon

August 17, 2023

Interview with author Joe Woodley

Please introduce yourself so that the readers will get to know you better.

Thank you for the opportunity to introduce myself to your audience and my new book, The Great Christmas Heist, which is illustrated by Syd Hutchison. My name is Joe Woodley. I am a husband and a father. I was a single-dad for nearly twenty years and my wife and I have five children in common. I have been a public speaker for nearly fifteen years and authored more than sixteen books for children and adults on topics that promote positive messages on character, family, faith and community. I am passionate about inspiring and equipping people to reach their fullest potential.

What is your inspiration behind your book “The Great Christmas Heist”?

I wrote the draft for The Great Christmas Heist nearly ten years ago and felt strongly that this was the time to partner with an illustrator and publish this story. The themes interwoven throughout this book are more relevant than ever. There is a massive hope deficit in the world today. Our children and families are fearful, confused and more anxious about the challenges they face in the world that exists today. At the center of this story is a message about the value, hope and love that comes from family. The stories I read as a young child from authors like Dr. Seuss, and Roald Dahl celebrated those themes in unique ways. This book honors the great authors of the past in a colorful and joy filled way, It is inspired by what family was, is and can be. I believe the world is increasingly hungry for these sorts of messages.

When did you realize you want to be an author?

I wrote my first book in my late 20s. I am not sure if I ever considered myself an author. My high school English teacher, Mr. Valenti encouraged me to look into writing as a career. I am highly observant and I love to inspire people, regardless of their age, race or economic status to dream bigger, live a little bit more, and fulfill their God-given potential. I share my experiences and what I see in the world and about the world using various genres to speak to diverse groups. Someway and somehow along the way it impacts people’s lives for the better.

Please tell us something about your book “The Great Christmas Heist”?

“Thomas and Claire devise a diabolical scheme that leads to a fantastical adventure discovering the Christmas spirit.” In the story, the spoiled children come to believe that Christmas is all about what they can get because their parents never say “no” to their ever increasing requests. They value things over family and relationships. They believe that the more they have the happier they will be. So, they come up with a plan to get more and end up on a fantastical journey. This book has a great message for the entire family, any time of the year.

The book can be found at http://www.agreatchristmasbook.com and Barnes and Nobles.

For which age group is your book “The Great Christmas Heist” suitable for?

The Great Christmas Heist is written primarily for children ages 3 -11, although there have been many adults who read the story and loved it as well.

What is your favorite Quote?

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
― Frederick Douglass

What do you like the most about your country?

The freedom to express our thoughts, feelings and beliefs is what I value most about the United States. Without that freedom every other right in the Constitution falls.

What does literary success look like to you?

Literary success looks like the people that come up to me and share how one of my books positively impacted their lives. Make no mistake about it, I would love for this book to become an international best-seller. But what is most important to me is that someone is a bit more hopeful, a bit more gracious, giving, loving and caring. It is important that someone is inspired to pursue greats and their life is changed for the better.

Lastly, who is your inspiration in life and why?

Parents inspire me. They face a lot of challenges raising children in a very unpredictable world. Children inspire me. They still have hope.

Buy The Great Christmas Heist on BarnesandNoble.com and www.agreatchristmasbook.com

August 16, 2023

Maggie the Cat Who Came Home for Christmas

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸: Maggie the Cat Who Came Home for Christmas 📚
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Julia Russo ✍️
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🚀 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
“Maggie the Cat Who Came Home for Christmas” is a Children’s Book written by the author Julia Russo and illustrated by Grace Metzger-Forrest. The main characters of the story are a little girl named Wilhelmina Olive Blessing and her cat Maggie. Wilhelmina, her dad and Maggie went to her Grandpa Charlie’s home for the Christmas holidays.

At Grandpa’s farmhouse, while playing, Maggie was lost. Wilhelmina searches for Maggie and calls out loud for her but couldn’t find her cat anywhere. Without Maggie, Christmas is not joyful for Wilhelmina. Read this story to know if Maggie will come back home.

The language used in the book is lucid and kids would have a great time reading this book. The cover photo of the book is eye-catching. The illustrations are pretty and would attract kids’ attention on the first look. This is a great storybook for the holiday season.

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5/5

★ Book Is Available On Amazon

August 16, 2023August 16, 2023

The Great Christmas Heist!

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸: The Great Christmas Heist! 📚
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Joe Woodley ✍️
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🚀 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
“The Great Christmas Heist!” written by the author Joe Woodley and illustrated by Syd Hutchison is a beautiful story. This book introduces readers to the joy of giving during the Christmas season and throughout the year.

There are two main characters in the story: Thomas and Claire. They take us on an exciting adventure. Both the kids were spoiled by their parents and this made them demanding. Read this story to know how Thomas and Claire would understand the true meaning of Christmas.

This book is an amazing gift for little readers, especially during the Christmas season. It is a fun-filled and humorous story. Kids would be delighted to read it. I learnt a valuable lesson from this book. The author and illustrator have done a fantastic job in this book. Looking forward to reading more books by them.

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5/5

★ Book Is Available On BarnesandNoble.com and www.agreatchristmasbook.com

August 14, 2023

Desperation

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸: Desperation 📚
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Becca Ryden ✍️
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🚀 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
Desperation written by the author Becca Ryden is the debut book of the author. It is a combination of fantasy, mystery, romance, etc. The main character of the story is Charlotte Valois. Charlotte’s father was the king of their lands and her mother was the queen.

Charlotte was promised to marry Aurek, a warrior. After their wedding, Aurek was supposed to become the king of their empire. But to Charlotte’s horror, she saw her mother’s body in blood. When she rushed to her father for help, she saw him lying lifeless on the floor and Aurek was pulling the blade out of him. Charlotte isn’t strong enough to face the situation or question Aurek. She thought that hiding would be in her best interests. Since then, Charlotte and her sister have been hiding among humankind.

Read the story to find out if Aurek will find them one day. The storyline is interesting and it kept me on the edge of my seat. The story is well paced and one wouldn’t feel bored while reading it. I appreciate the vivid imagination of the author in creating this fantasy world.

The story is captivating and I binge read this book. The cover photo is eye-catching. Go ahead with it without any second thoughts.

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5/5

★ Book Is Available On Amazon

August 14, 2023

Tolagon

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸: Tolagon 📚
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Gregory Benson ✍️
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🚀 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
Tolagon written by the author Gregory Benson is the first installment in the Tolagon Book Series. The main character of the story is Crix. Once, he heard a distant thump that told him about the ship that crashed into the boglands.

He felt a strong pull to investigate the strange ship. The problem is that the ship has crashed into Drisal which is both forbidden and dangerous. The blue orb that is hidden within Crix was calling him to duty. Since Crix was a child, he has suppressed the power of the blue orb and kept it hidden from others. When he reached Drisal, he didn’t want to meet any resident Monoglades.

When Crix powered the ship through his orb, his eyes fell on a beautiful woman pilot. On seeing her, his heart skipped a couple of beats. Read the story to know more about the romance between Kerriah and Crix. What will happen when Crix meets Krath, a war veteran.

The story is interesting and it kept me on the edge of my seat. The writing style of the author is nice and the cover photo is eye-catching. This story takes the readers on the rollercoaster ride full of adventures. I enjoyed every bit of this book. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5/5

★ Book Is Available On Amazon

August 12, 2023

Reflections on the Boulevard

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸: Reflections on the Boulevard 📚
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: L.J. Ambrosio ✍️
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🚀 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
“Reflections on the Boulevard” is a literary fiction written by the author LJ Ambrosio. Even though this book is a sequel to LJ Ambrosio’s A Reservoir Man, one could read it as a standalone also. Michael is a sixty-five-year-old protagonist. One day, he met a homeless man named Ron and Michael’s life changed since that. He allowed Ron to stay at his place because of the hard time Ron was having. Ron lost his father and the death of his father made her mother’s condition terrible.

The adventure begins with Ron and Michael on a cross-country road trip. They further went on a European tour that would open Michael’s eyes. Read this story to find out for yourself what Michael learnt on this tour.

This is a wonderful story about the friendship between the rich and a homeless man. There are mixed emotions throughout the book and that would warm the reader’s heart. The way Michael gave place to Ron in his home and heart taught me to be kind and helpful to those in need. The story is heart touching and well paced. Undoubtedly, I had a great time reading this book. I am looking forward to reading more books by the author.

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5/5

★ Book Is Available On Amazon

August 12, 2023

The Journey

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸: The Journey 📚
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Sara Ann Key ✍️
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🚀 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
I love reading memoirs. This time, I got my hands on Sara Ann Key’s book “The Journey”. Sara is a daughter of Geoffrey and Heather. She is always a daddy’s girl. She was never loved by anyone else, the way her father loved her. Many times, when Sara was a little girl, she felt special because of the things her dad did for her.

Sara’s parents moved a lot while she was growing up. Sara’s family didn’t see much of her father’s side of the family. At the age of 14, Sara felt ignorant and frightened of life and people. From there, her self-deprecation and lack of confidence journey started. In her twenties, Sara had a Persian love affair and later got closure from the man. This man was Sara’s first love but not her true love. Still, like us Sara needed closure and she finally had it.

Read this transformational journey of Sara to know how she healed her mind and body. We all can achieve our greatest potential. Sara’s story offers hope to the readers. It tells them that bad days don’t last forever and with courage, determination one can break generational curses too. This is a great memoir. Readers would take a lot from this book. I am grateful to the author for sharing her inspirational journey with others.

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5/5

★ Book Is Available On Amazon

August 11, 2023

My Successful Failures

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸: My Successful Failures 📚
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Mr Nathan Loyd ✍️
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🚀 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
My Successful Failures written by Mr Nathan Loyd is a must read book by those who want to grow in life. In this book, the author has advised the readers to learn from their failures and move forward in life.

In this book, the author has shared that the secret to true success is to grow from your failures. The author has said a very right thing when he has written that “if we are getting criticized, we are making a difference in this world”. The author has highlighted the importance of Quiet Time every day or at least five days a week. “Whatever we focus on grows”. Nathan has explained how we think we don’t have enough time but in reality we don’t balance our time properly.

Our failures and experiences are valuable as they help us to grow. Even if we learn the lesson, we never lose. Before reading this book, I didn’t understand the title properly. But once I started reading it, the title made a lot of sense. Success doesn’t come without failures and when we learn from those failures, we get true success. The writing style of the author is nice. The narration is smooth and one could follow the book easily. Nathan has included many quotes in this book and I loved them all. This is a thought provoking read. Read and reflect on what you read. This book could transform your life and the way you see failures.

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5/5

★ Book Is Available On Amazon

August 10, 2023

Interview with author Sara Ann Key

Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you

I was born in Hendon, London. An Author, writer, armchair psychologist, Reiki practitioner self taught healer and professional nanny.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “The Journey”?

I was working full time as a nanny doing a 60 hour working week when I wrote” The Journey” but when lockdown hit due to the corona virus I took furlough for two months which helped me find more time. I was obsessed with editing and revisiting to improve the overall quality of my writing.

Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

Louise Hay – You can Heal your Life

Scott Peck – The Road less Travelled

Elkhart Tolle- The Power of Now

Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?

I love walking in the East Sussex countryside amongst nature and there is an place I visit regularly called Mayfield which is located in The High Weald Area of the UK which has a lovely atmosphere of woods and open fields set in an area of outstanding natural beauty.I go there regularly to think and process my thoughts.

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘The Journey’?

I wanted to tell my story so that it would help others, especially supporting women going through the same challenges as I had.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘The Journey’?

It took me about a year.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

Amazon UK

WHSmith

Foyles

Thrift Books

Bol.com

Buchhaus

eBook.de

product.kyobobook.co.kr

Bookline.hu

Q8 Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘The Journey’?

I wanted two roads diverging in a wood as a metaphor as to our choice in which route we choose to take in life. I took the route less traveled and my story is a depictions this. The title “The Journey” came about because it is my journey through this life .

Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?

By surprising the reader by incorporating plots and twists that keep them guessing. My book is certainly a page turner. The characters have depth, flaws and evolving motivations.Varying and pacing of high tension moments and slower introspection. There is a rhythm that keeps the story engaging.

Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?

Stay connected to your passion and remember why you started writing in the first place ☺

Buy The Journey on Amazon